NRCan invites expressions-of-interest for alternative fuel infrastructure funding
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) announced its Electric Vehicle and Alternative Transportation Fuels Infrastructure Deployment Initiative on April 8, 2016. Funding has been allocated to support the deployment of up to 70 electric vehicle fast-charging stations, six natural gas and two hydrogen refuelling stations along key transportation corridors.
The federal government will consider funding up to 50 per cent of eligible project costs, based on the strength of proposals received. A request for proposals will be launched this spring. In the meantime, expressions-of-interest are invited by the department. Submission details are available here.
All projects that receive funding must be completed by March 31, 2018.
The Tech-K.O. Takeaway: The Government of Canada’s 2016 budget allocates $62.5M over two years (2016-17) to support the deployment of infrastructure for alternative transportation fuels, including charging infrastructure for electric vehicles and natural gas and hydrogen refuelling stations. This appears to be the first public expression of how a portion of those funds will be invested. Though it’s hard to estimate precisely from the announcement, it seems that the government is prepared to allocate a relatively balanced spread of funds across three domains of lower-carbon vehicle fuel options: fast battery charging and hydrogen fuelling for vehicles with electric propulsion, and natural gas for internal combustion engines. The government should be commended for a balanced, portfolio approach to decarbonizing transportation, as it vastly improves the probability of achieving this goal.
- Source: Natural Resources Canada. “Electric Vehicle and Alternative Transportation Fuels Infrastructure Deployment Initiative.” Nrcan.gc.ca, 8 April 2016.
- Photo: Electric vehicle charging stations (Humber News in Beacon Energy News).